Youth Mentoring Programs

Talking Points from the SRCD Briefs

• By 2018, children of color are projected to make up the majority of U.S. youth under age 19, with over 22 million boys and men of color under age 20 as of 2010. By 2050, people of color will comprise the largest percentage of U.S. citizens, including African Americans, Native Americans, Latinos, and Asians. 
• Many youths of color live in impoverished communities with high poverty rates, facing harsher penalties for rule infractions compared to White peers and are less likely to receive second chances. They are disproportionately exposed to violence, both as victims and perpetrators, and are more likely to be incarcerated. 
• Three million young people participate in formal one-to-one mentoring relationships in the United States today, six times the number who took part in such programs a decade ago. 
• Preliminary studies on the cost-benefit ratios of youth mentoring programs, like Big Brothers Big Sisters, show small but slightly positive returns on investment, with benefits just exceeding costs—an estimated $1.01 for every $1 spent, factoring in both taxpayer and other costs. 
• Research tells us effective mentoring relationships require close ties between youth and adults, regular contact, and a duration of at least one year. However, high volunteer turnover remains a significant challenge for mentoring programs.